Lonnie Donegan – The Man That Inspired John
Lennon
Back in 1957, one name dominated many others when it came to the British
pop music charts – Lonnie Donegan. Born in Glasgow as Anthony James
Donegan, Lonnie was known as the King of Skiffle thanks to a string of
blockbuster singles that enchanted audiences on both sides of the Atlantic.
Boasting 31 hit singles in the UK, three of which topped the charts at #1,
Lonnie Donegan also claimed two Top 10 singles in the USA – the first British
singer to do so.
Lonnie Donegan had an army of adoring fans who lapped up his performances
using a tea-chest bass, washboard, and beaten-up Spanish guitar. Chief among
those fans was John Lennon and his fellow Beatles – who would, ironically,
accidentally end Donegan’s reign at the top of the charts by completely
rewriting the pop music blueprint in the 1960s. However, it was Lennon’s
enthusiasm for Lonnie Donegan that sparked a lifelong, and important,
friendship.
Helen Anderson was a 16-year-old with a headful of dreams about becoming an
artist and fashion designer in ’57. She had idly sketched cartoons inspired by
the titles of Lonnie Donegan songs, which her friend Ann took along to a record
signing and asked the King of Skiffle to sign.
Donegan did so and was hugely impressed by what he saw – especially when
also presented with a portrait of his own visage. Declaring this the closest
likeness he had ever seen, Lonnie Donegan invited Helen Anderson to his home
in London, where she would stay with the superstar and his family and be
commissioned to create a professional portrait.
The resulting portrait made national news, briefly making Helen Anderson a
household name, and caught the eye of a young John Lennon. This would
explain why, in 1959, he encountered Anderson in the halls of the Liverpool
College and Art and asked, “hey, are you that bird who painted Lonnie
Donegan?”
When Anderson responded in the affirmative, a lifelong friendship was spawned.
Anderson went on to play a significant role in the life of both John Lennon and
his wife Cynthia, most notably creating the leather Bakerboy cap that defined
Lennon’s look in the mid-1960s.
Eventually, Helen Anderson and Lonnie Donegan were reunited in the year
2000. Channel 4 aired a show named Shine On as a tribute to John Lennon,
bursting with celebrity performers. The producers wanted Lonnie Donegan to
attend, aware that he was a considerable influence on Lennon, and to bring
along the portrait created by Anderson.
The master portrait still hung on Donegan’s wall, and he was unable to move it
while recovering from a twelfth heart attack – especially as his career had
wound down and he was flying with a budget airline! He did, however, fly to
London for the show and bring along one of Anderson’s original pencil sketches.
Lonnie Donegan eventually passed away in 2002 – on stage, mid-performance,
ensuring that he went out doing what he loved. He left behind a fantastic legacy
of memorable songs, but perhaps more importantly, he inspired some of the
greatest musicians in the world – as well as paving the way for a meaningful
friendship that shaped Helen Anderson’s life.
Source https://www.thetodayposts.com/lonnie-donegan-the-man-that-inspired-john-le
nnon/